Oscillating fan support



3, 1954 P. G. FRERER ET AL 2,685,657

OSCILLATING FAN SUPPORT Filed March 29, 1952 INVENTORS PAUL G. FRERER ALFRED W. CgRWIN 77- 914 wMQ1. KM

ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 3, 1954 OSCILLATING FAN SUPPORT Paul G. Frerer and. Alfied W. Corwin, Peru, 11].,

assignors, by mesne assignments, to Soreng Products Corp, Schiller Park, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application March 29, 1952, Serial No. 279,366

1 6 Claims.

Our invention relates to improvements in electric fan constructions.

Heretofore, conventional electric fans of the stationary and oscillating type have been con structed with the lead wires which connect the switch in the base to the motor completely or partially exposed so that the wires may be subject to external abrasion which may in time effect a wearing-off of the covering insulation with a consequent liability of shorting or shocking anyone who might come in contact with the wires. Additionally the exposed wires generally are unsightly and detract from the aesthetic appearance of the fan.

Accordingly, it is an object of our invention to provide a fan construction in which the lead wires are wholly enclosed within the fan structure so that substantially no part of the wires is exposed.

Another object of our invention is the provision of a sheath or shield for electrical conductor wires and the like, the shield being in the form of a wire helix which may flex in accordance with the operation of the fan.

Other and further objects and advantages of our invention will become apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is an elevational view of an electric fan in accordance with our invention, with portions broken away to show details of construction.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially from line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of a portion of the fan column; and

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view, on an enlarged scale and taken substantially on line 55 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral It indicates generally a fan column on which is sup ported for oscillating movement, an outer motor housing ll supporting a fan blade guard 52, the said guard enclosing a multi-lobed fan blade [3 mounted on the shaft of a motor I 4 supported within the housing. As will be seen by reference to Fig. l, the column i 0 comprises two articulated sections I6 and I1, the lower section it comprising a base portion I8 and an upright portion 19. The said section I3 is hollow and contains within the base 18 a switch 2| and a reactor 22 in circuit with the switch. The upper end of the upright portion l 9 is bifurcated to provide a pair of spaced upstanding cars 24. The upper section 1? of the column is provided with a pair of spaced depending ears 23 between which is received the cars 24 of the lower column portion is. The cars 23 and 24 are pierced to receive a bolt 23 which serves to pivotally support the upper fan structure, hereinafter to be described, so as to lock the upper fan structure in a position of adjustment. The top surface of the upper column section I! is flat and provides a bearing surface for the motor housing I. For the sake of clarity the oscillating means is not illustrated.

A bushing 29 is press fitted into the upper portion of section I! and a hollow pivot post 31 is received within the bushing and is movable relative thereto. The upper end of the said post is flanged to provide a retaining shoulder 32 which abuts against the inner wall surface of the housing H and secures the housing on the column I D. The lower end of the post 3| is provided with an annular recess 33 to receive a c washer 35 which secures the post against axial displacement and intermediately, a recess 30 is formed in the post 3i to provide a lubricant reservoir.

A helically wound spring wire shield 34 is wholly contained within the column It and has the lower terminal end 36 thereof extended out and formed into a hook so as to engage with and be secured by a suitable screw 37 threaded into the base. The upper portion of the shield 34 extends through the hollow post 3! and into the housing and, similarly, the terminal end 38 thereof is extended out and formed into a hook to engage with a suitable screw 39 threaded in the wall of the housing ll. As will be apparent, the upper structure of the fan, which includes the motor Ill, housing ll, fan blade 13 and guard I2, is adapted to oscillate about the axes of the hollow post 3! and relative to the column it which is stationary. During such oscillatory movement, because the ends 35 and 38 of the spring wire shield 34 are anchored one to a stationary part and the other to a moving part, the wire helix will be caused to alternately wind up and unwind with each oscillation. Additionally, when the upper fan structure is rocked about the pivotal support 26, for angular adjustment relative to the base, the wire shield 34 may be caused to flex to conform to any position of angular adjustment. The shield 34 provides a flexible and yieldable conduit for electrical lead wires 49 and M which are connected at their lower ends to a switch or reactor located within the base, while the upper ends of the lead wires are connected to suitable terminals of the motor.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that we have provided an improved supporting structure for fans in which the electrical lead wires are contained wholly within the supporting structure of the fan so that the said wires are concealed from view, the wires also being completely housed within a flexible and yieldable shield or sheath which afiords protection against abrasion or contact with any external objects.

Various changes coming within the spirit of our invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. Hence we do not wish to be limited to the specific embodiments described or uses mentioned, but intend the same to be merely exemplary, the scope of our invention being limited only by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In an oscillating type electric fan, a base, a column carried on said base, a member supported on said column for oscillation substantially about the longitudinal axes of said column, a helically wound spring wire shield disposed within said column and adapted to contain electrical conductor wires, said shield having one wire end fixed in said base and the other wire end fixed in said member, said shield alternately winding up and unwinding as said member oscillates.

2. In an oscillating type electric fan, a base, an articulated column carried on said base, a member supported on said column for oscillation substantially about the longitudinal axes of said column, a shield formed of spring wire helix and disposed within said'colummsaid shield adapted to contain electrical conductor wires, said helix having one wire end anchored in' said base and the other wire end anchored in said member, said helix alternately winding up and unwinding as said member oscillates.

3. In oscillating type electric fan, a base, a column having a longitudinal bore therein, a hollow pivot post carried in the upper end of said bore, a motor housing supported on said column for oscillation about the axis of said post,

a helically wound spring wire shield disposed within said column, electrical conductor wires contained within said shield, said shield having one wire end anchored in said base and the other wire end anchored in said motor housing and alternately winding up and unwinding as said motor housing oscillates.

4. In an electrical apparatus having a stationary member and an oscillating member, a helically wound spring wire shield adapted to contain at least one electrical conductor wire, said shield having one wire end connected to said stationary member and the other wire end to said oscillating member, and arranged to alternately wind up and unwind as said oscillating member oscillates.

5. In an electrical apparatus having a stationary column and a member arranged for oscillation relative thereto, a hollow pivoted post connecting said member to said column, a helically wound spring wire shield disposed within said column and adapted to contain an electrical conductor wire, said shield having one wire end connected to said oscillating member and the other wire end to said stationary column and arranged alternately to wind up and unwind as said oscillating member oscillates.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 in which the column is comprised of at least two sections pivotally connected to each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS France Feb. 18, 1-935 Exi- 

